


A Hidden Wish

by wapaksoccet13



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Eventual Romance, F/F, Feelings Realization
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-12 04:44:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13539933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wapaksoccet13/pseuds/wapaksoccet13
Summary: No one wants to be "the One." The one who sticks out in a crowd, the one who's different from everyone else.  It's hard enough transferring to a new school, let alone jumping two grades to get into the new school.  Ruby Rose just has one wish, a hidden wish, that maybe she'll find her place in Beacon Academy.  It just may come in a form she wasn't expecting.





	1. First Day

Today was the day.  The first day of school at Beacon Academy.  She swallowed, looking up at 

the building that towered above her.  It reminded her of a castle, not of a place of higher education where she would be spending the next three years of her life at.  The tower situated in the middle of the campus featured several lights that glowed green, acting as the beacon for which the academy was named for.  She sighed.  Maybe she could just go back to Signal.  She had friends there; she wouldn’t have to be the new girl.  The new girl who skipped two grades and had to switch to the school where she knew only knew one person.  Yeah, that sounded like a good-

“There you are!”

Her back straightened just in time for a body to plow right into her from behind, threatening to knock her over.  She looked over her shoulder to see her older sister smiling at her, bright liliac eyes meeting silver.  “I thought I lost you, Ruby.  Dad would’ve been so mad at me for losing you on your first day at Beacon!”

Ruby whined as she struggled against her sister’s strong grip. “Yang!  Let me go!”

Yang chuckled, releasing her hold on her sister.  Ruby looked down at her school uniform with a huff, straightening it out. “Maybe I didn’t want to come here,” she grumbled under her breath.

Yang tilted her head to the side, her long locks of blonde hair waving behind her. “You not wanting to come here?  Since when?  Going to Beacon has been the only thing you’ve wanted to do since you were thirteen!  It would take you hours to stop talking about its art classes.”  Ruby shrugged, not meeting Yang’s gaze. “What’s wrong?  Did someone say something mean to you while I was gone?”

Ruby was quick to whip her eyes up to meet Yang’s, hands up to calm Yang’s rising anger. “No, no, no!  That’s not it at all!  No one said anything!” Yang narrowed her eyes at Ruby.  Ruby sighed, dropping her hands back to her sides. “I just...don’t want to stand out is all.  I skipped two grades, and you’re the only one I know here.  Back at Signal, at least I have my friends and Dad.”

Yang’s features softened at Ruby’s admission.  She walked over to her sister, throwing her arm around the younger girl’s shoulders and gently rubbing her knuckles into her sister’s black hair.. “Ruby, you have nothing to worry about.  The people here at Beacon are awesome, and I’m sure you’ll meet some new friends.  Hell, you could meet some new ones today if you open up during your classes!  Just give it time.”

Ruby puffed out her cheeks. “Maybe I don’t want to.” She turned to Yang, only to be met with narrowed lilac eyes. “Ok, ok!  I’ll...I’ll try to make new friends today.”

Yang smiled, slapping Ruby’s back. “That a girl!  Now, I gotta go meet up with the girls and grab my stuff from my locker.  See ya!”

Before Ruby could say another word, Yang was swept up in the crowd as it headed into the building, leaving Ruby alone once more.  She had always been the more outgoing of the two of them, but that was just Yang’s personality.  It was something that Ruby had just become accustomed to, more so after Yang started participating in sports.  Looking around at the rest of the students, Ruby sighed and began to walk with the rest of them inside the walls of Beacon Academy.

The walls were adorned with red and white stripes, posters taped to the walls with welcoming messages scrawled over them.  Ruby walked over to a part of the hall absent of her fellow students and pulled out her class schedule.  She looked at her the room number for her first class, Theater, before looking looking at the numbers of the nearby rooms.  Ruby frowned as she read the numbers.  As expected, the numbering system of this school wasn’t straightforward.

“You look a little lost.  Would you like some help?”

Ruby jumped, turning to find a tall blonde boy with blue eyes smiling at her.  He smiled sheepishly at her wide eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.  You just looked lost, and I can personally attest to the confusion that is Beacon Academy’s structure.”

Ruby sighed. “Was I that obvious?”

The boy’s easy smile never faltered, and he held his hand out to her.  Ruby allowed for him to take her schedule, watching as he looked over her classes. “Oh, sweet.  You have Theater with me.  It’s just down this way,” he said, handing back her class schedule and nodding down the hallway to Ruby’s right. “We can just walk to class together.”

Ruby nodded, walking on the boy’s right as he led the way towards class. “My name’s Ruby.”

The boy smacked his forehead before chuckling. “Oh right.  Sorry.  Introductions are important.  My name’s Jaune Arc.”

“Kind of like the famous heroine!”

Jaune laughed. “Yeah, you could put it like that, though I’m not much of a hero like she was.”

Ruby smiled. “Nonsense.  All of us are heros in our own way.  You just haven’t found yours yet.”

Jaune smiled at Ruby’s words before placing his hand on a large door. “This leads backstage.  Come on; I’ll introduce you to the rest of the class.”

Ruby bit her lower lip, nodding once as she watched Jaune open the door.  He held the door open for her to enter first, and the sight of the stage left Ruby breathless.  The sheer size of the stage seemed to dwarf the one back at Signal.  Beacon’s auditorium was well known for hosting traveling plays, but to see it first hand captured Ruby’s attention.  Her mind was already running through the different places she could build things off of when she walked into the back of someone.

Ruby jumped back, her shoulders going stiff. “Oh I’m sorry!  I should’ve been paying more attention!”

The person turned around to face Ruby, her black hair framing her bright golden eyes as she smiled. “No harm done.” The girl looked behind Ruby to Jaune. “Do we have a new classmate?”

Jaune nodded, walking up to Ruby’s right. “Ruby, this is Blake Belladonna.  She’s a senior and is the theater department’s student director this year.”

Blake held out a hand to Ruby. “It’s nice to meet you, Ruby.  Welcome to the theater department, though I imagine you’re here for class.”

Ruby looked at Blake confused as she shook the older girl’s hand. “Isn’t everyone else?”

“Actually, this is just one of my school activities.  I’ve helped out Ms. Goodwich since my sophomore year, but I don’t actually take the class.”

Jaune took a step forward. “I do take the class, however, so let’s get going before we’re late.”

Ruby nodded, waving goodbye to Blake before following Jaune into the adjacent classroom.  She hadn’t expected the class to become one of her favorites in just the small amount of time she had been at Beacon, but being able to meet new people who were as welcoming as Jaune, Nora, and Ren was a welcoming experience.  They even invited her to join them for theater practice on Tuesdays, something that Ruby knew would excite her dad.

Ruby’s next two classes seemed to fly past, the warmth she found in Theater absent amongst the rest of her peers.  She was grateful when the teachers moved past the self-introductions, a tiny miracle for her day, but soon lunch was upon her.  Ruby joined the rest of the student body in line for food, smiling at the lunch ladies as she paid, before realizing that she had no idea where to sit.  She swallowed as she looked out to the sea of tables, already being filled with people she didn’t know.

A larger body bumped into her from behind, nearly knocking her over. “Watch it, weirdo.  You’re in my way.”

Ruby looked up to see a tall, muscular boy with dark orange hair glaring at her.  She quickly moved to her left. “Sorry, sorry.  I...I uh didn’t mean to get in your way.”

“Well make sure it doesn’t happen again, Pipsqueak.”

Ruby watched the boy leave with his group of friends before sighing.  She already was having a difficult time adjusting to life at Beacon; she didn’t need to find herself a bully on the first day as well.  As she continued to scan the lunchroom, a familiar hand was waving frantically at her.  Ruby smiled as she caught Yang practically jumping up and down to get her attention.  Ruby sped between tables to where Yang was sitting.  She slowed her approach when she saw other students sitting at the table with Yang, but their welcoming smiles calmed her previous fright.

“Finally!  I felt like I’d been trying to get your attention for like years, Rubes.” Yang watched her sister take the seat to her right. “How’s your first day been?”

Ruby bit her lip as the other students at the table seemed to hone in on her. “Uh well...I liked my theater class,” she mumbled, hoping that if she stayed quiet enough for Yang that the eyes would move away from her.

Yang sensed her sister’s plight, wrapping her arm around Ruby’s shoulders. “Hey, don’t worry about them.  These are all my friends.  On the left is Pyrrha.” The girl with red hair pulled back into a high ponytail waved at Ruby with a gentle smile. “Right across from us is Sun.” The blonde boy winked at his name. “And the guy to his left is his friend, Neptune.”  Neptune brushed his hand through his blue hair, giving Ruby an easy smile.

Ruby swallowed, managing a small smile and wave back at the three of them. “Hi.  I’m Ruby.”

Pyrrha leaned forward. “We’ve heard a lot about you, Ruby.  You said that you went to Theater already; did you meet Jaune and the others?”

Ruby perked up at the mention of her theater friends. “Yeah!  Jaune was actually the one who walked me to class this morning.”

Yang elbowed Ruby’s arm, a mischievous smile on her face. “Is that so?”

Sun and Neptune laughed at the glare Ruby sent towards Yang. “Don’t be too hard on her, Ruby.  What she neglects to tell you is the huge crush she has on the theater director,” Sun teased.

Yang snapped her head at Sun, cheeks bright red and fire in her eyes. “Sun!  Shut up!”

Ruby looked at her sister, eyes wide. “Seriously?  Why didn’t you tell me!”

Yang narrowed her eyes at Sun before turning to Ruby. “It’s just a crush, Rubes, ok?”

Before Ruby could ask the questions building inside her, the bell rang for the end of lunch.  Yang and her friends were already moving away from the table, leaving Ruby to the sea of students.  She bit her lower lip as she grabbed her tray and moved with the rest of her peers, dumping the remainder of her lunch before fishing out her class schedule.  She only had one more class, thankfully, but it was her hardest one.  It was the plague known as Advanced Chemistry.  Finding the classroom was easier thanks to Jaune’s help that morning, but Ruby was still mentally kicking herself for signing up for the Chemistry class.  Nothing put a larger target on her back than not only skipping two grades but also getting into one of the hardest classes in Beacon.

Ruby walked into the classroom to find most of the seats taken.  After a quick search, she was able to grab one of the rare empty spots in the middle of the class.  It was her hope that the seat beside her would remain empty, but that hope was dashed three minutes before class began.  A girl about her height with white hair pulled into a side ponytail and deep blue eyes, sat to Ruby’s left, gently placing her books on the table before straightening up and waiting for the arrival of their teacher.  The girl reminded Ruby of a moving statue with how taunt the girl’s figure seemed to sit.  The girl raised an eyebrow, and Ruby quickly changed her attention to the other side of the room.  No need to add on to her troubles by causing another scene today.

Their teacher entered the classroom, arms full of books, before quickly announcing that their partners for the rest of the semester would be the ones sitting beside them.  Ruby’s back straightened at the announcement, and dread filled her once more.  Of all the people to be paired with, this was the one person that Ruby was already wishing she had changed classes.  Her new partner seemed to be taken aback by the same announcement; Ruby swallowed once and hoped that she could alleviate some of the tension between the two.

“Um...so I guess we’re partners.  My name’s Ruby-”

The girl held her hand up. “We’re partners, not friends.  Understand?” Ruby nodded once. “Good.  Since you obviously don’t know who I am, my name is Weiss Schnee.  We’ll be doing our projects my way and my way only.” Ruby nodded once more. “Good.  Now let’s just hope that the rest of the semester moves just as smoothly as today.”

Even with Ruby’s insecurities about the matter, the class did end up going smoothly.  Weiss was clear and to the point with her instructions on the work they did, and Ruby was attentive with the details.  She could tell that Weiss wasn’t used to being underclassed by anyone, only pushing Ruby more to do her best.  By the time Ruby arrived to her last class of the day, her art class, she could do little to calm the sheer determination that her Chemistry class had left her with.

The next couple weeks went about the same as Ruby’s first day.  She would enjoy her theater class, only to find herself on the receiving end of the occasional bullying by Beacon’s star quarterback, Cardin Winchester, right before lunch.  She’d go back and forth with sitting with her theater friends to sitting with her sister and her friends before heading to Chemistry, the class she loved and hated at the same time.  She loved it because she got to hang out with Weiss, who was slowly starting to warm up to her.  She hated it because she would have to watch Weiss meet up with Cardin right after the bell ring.  Most days she could swallow herself into her art, but the days she couldn’t left her feeling empty.

It was that feeling of emptiness the day before that left Ruby questioning why she felt different today.  It was just an ordinary day at lunch, and today she was sitting with Yang and her friends.  Cardin hadn’t picked on her today, but lately he had chosen to take the opportunity after her Chemistry class to do it.  She slowly picked at her food, slightly dreading her Chemistry class, when she felt Yang elbow her left side.  She looked up at her sister, who shared a worried look with the rest of the table.

“Rubes, you doing ok?” Yang asked.

Ruby forced a small smile, trying to ease their worries. “Yeah, just a lot on my mind.”

“Oh, you actually think?  That’s a surprise, Pipsqueak.”

_ Oh no. _

Ruby turned slowly to see Cardin standing behind her, arms crossed over his chest and a wide smile on his lips.  It was the smile he gave her every day before picking on her then leaving with Weiss.  Ruby could feel her shoulders start to hunch in on instinct, small prayers of hope moving through her mind.  She could stand the belittling after Chemistry, but to do it in front of everyone right now was not something she wanted to go through.

Suddenly, Yang jumped out of her seat and in-between Ruby and Cardil. “Do you have a problem with my sister, Cardin?”

Ruby’s eyes widened at her sister. “Yang…”

Cardin huffed at Yang’s intervening. “It’s got nothing to do with you, Blondie.”

Ruby could feel the entire lunchroom turn their eyes to the confrontation, and she wished for nothing but to find herself somewhere far, far away from Beacon.  Somewhere where no one knew who she was.  She swallowed, looking up at Yang as she continued to stand her ground in front of Cardin.

Yang’s hands clenched into fists as Cardin leaned in with a daring smile. “How about you just leave Ruby alone, and we can forget this ever happened in the first place?”

“What you going to do if I say no?  Your spot on the soccer team worth a punch?”

“Yang.” Ruby heard Pyrrha say with a warning tone as they all felt the shift in anger emit from Yang.

Ruby reached out, wrapping her hand around her sister’s wrist. “Yang, please.  Don’t.”

Cardin smiled at Yang’s anger, and Ruby feared that her sister would snap when a voice broke through the tension.

“Cardin!  What the hell are you doing?”

Ruby looked to her right and saw Weiss standing with her friends Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina.  The way Weiss stood, defiant and confident, seemed to paint her in the picture of an angel.  It was only after she heard Cardin’s voice did her trance finally break.

“I wasn’t doing anything, sweetheart.  Just messing with the weirdo,” he said with a smile as he looked towards Ruby.

The clicking of heels grabbed Ruby’s attention, and she found herself looking up at Weiss as she moved beside Cardin and grabbed his arm.

“We’re leaving.  Now,” she ordered, tugging him hard and away from their table.

“Babe, I was just-”

“I don’t want to heard it, Cardin.  For once, just shut the hell up.  You’ve done enough to embarrass me today, and I’m not going to let you continue,” Weiss snapped as she dragged him out of the cafeteria.

Ruby watched as their friends followed the two out of the cafeteria, and soon the commotion that filled the cafeteria returned to softer conversations.  Ruby could hear the others asking her on how she was, but she could only nod and pretend to understand their words.  Right now, all she could think about was Weiss and her actions.  It wasn’t everyday that the girl you had slowly started developing a crush on came to your rescue, and it was a day Ruby was sure she wasn’t going to forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, I have now entered the fantastic fandom that is RWBY fanfiction!
> 
> Let me know what you think, and be sure to follow me on tumblr: @libs1317.


	2. A Favor

After the lunchroom confrontation, Cardin’s bullying towards Ruby decreased severely.  Sure, there were still some times where he would ambush her after school let out, but it was always out of eyesight of Weiss.  When she knew she could get away with it, Ruby would stay half-an-hour after the final bell rang, working on some of her art projects in the hopes that she would be able to wait out long enough for the sports practices to start.  She knew she would always have a ride on these days with Yang finishing up her practice around the same time.

It was one of these days that Ruby found herself staying behind, working on drawing out the cliffside by their home, when a gentle knock on the room’s door broke her concentration.  She looked up to find Weiss standing in the doorway, her white jacket and hair a stark contrast to the bright colors of the art room.

“Oh, Weiss!  Hey.  What’s up?” Ruby asked as she straightened up in her seat.   _ Be cool.  Just be cool. _

Weiss walked slowly into the room, the clicking of her heels sounding through the silent room. “So this is where you go to hide after school most days, huh?”

Ruby smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. “Uh, yeah.  Sometimes I just have some projects I want to finish in peace, and Yang’s always willing to give me a ride home after her practice lets out.” Weiss nodded as she walked over to Ruby’s table. “You didn’t answer my question, though.”

Weiss ignored Ruby for a moment as she looked at the drawing she had interrupted.  She couldn’t believe what she was looking at.  The amount of detail in the drawing was breathtaking, and Ruby had only begun to add color to parts of it.  As she looked over it, she couldn’t help but draw her attention to the grave marker in the middle of the picture, resting on the edge of the cliff.  The sunset behind it framed it beautifully.

“May I ask who’s grave marker that is?” Weiss found herself asking, turning her head towards Ruby.

Ruby smiled sadly, turning her attention to her drawing. “It’s my mother’s.  There’s a cliffside near our house, and it had been one of her favorite spots to relax at.  Dad thought it would be best to bury her there because whenever we visit her, we would be reminded of her smile and the happiness that surrounded her.”

“I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to pry.”

Ruby shook her head. “No, no.  It’s ok.  It’s not something that ever really goes away, but talking about it gets easier, even if it’s a little bit at a time.”

Weiss looked at Ruby before turning back to the picture.  She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. “I was hoping that you’d help me with an art project, Ruby.”

Ruby looked at Weiss confused. “An art project?  I didn’t know you were in any of the art classes; it doesn’t seem to suit you.”

Weiss leveled a sideways glare at Ruby, who straightened at the look. “I’m not, thanks for asking, but this is more of a personal project.  It’s for someone special.”

Ruby tried her best to hide the souring of her hopes.   _ Something for Cardin.  Awesome.  _ “Well, what are you wanting to do?”

Weiss pulled out the stool next to Ruby’s, sitting down as she looked over the detail of the drawing. “I’m not sure yet.  I have a good idea of what I want to portray, but it’s the actual creation of it that has me...stumped to put it lightly.”

Ruby nodded, reaching into her bag to pull out one of her lightly-used sketchbooks. “Well, how about we jot down some ideas then?  What is it that you want to portray?”

Weiss leaned forward on her elbows, eyes staring down at the blank page of the sketchbook. “Well, it needs to be something to show how much they mean to me.  Nothing too fancy; their tastes can be quite bland sometimes.”

_ Definitely sounds like Cardin.   _ Ruby nodded, jotting down a couple notes. “What else?”

“It has to include a cross somewhere.”

_ Huh.  Never would’ve thought of Cardin as the religious type.  _ “Anything else?”

“The only other thing I can really think of is to include the color red.  It’s their favorite color.”

Ruby nodded, looking at the small amount of notes she had taken. “It’s not much to work off of, but let me think on it tonight.  I can probably give you some rough ideas tomorrow during Chemistry, and we can move on from there.”

Weiss nodded, moving off of her chair. “Thank you, Ruby.  Would you mind keeping this a secret between the two of us?”

Ruby nodded, swallowing the lump in her through only for it to turn into a knot in her chest.   _ Get it together, Ruby.  You’re helping her do something nice for Cardin.  That’s it.  _ “Of course, Weiss.”

Weiss nodded, waving goodbye as she left Ruby alone once more in the art room.  Once she was sure that Weiss was out of earshot, Ruby dropped her head to the table, a large groan replacing the silence.  She knew she should know better, but she couldn’t help it.  Ruby couldn’t control how her feelings seemed to leap into her throat every time Weiss chose to talk with her.  She couldn’t control that Weiss was with Cardin, and she knew she didn’t have a chance in hell with that hanging over her head.  She was never going to be what Weiss needed, and it was something Ruby knew she would have to accept.

“Sounds like something’s dying in here,” Ruby heard Yang say before her older sister took the seat beside her. “Want to tell me what’s up?”

Ruby sighed, sitting up with her hands on her lap. “It’s nothing.”

“Doesn’t sound like it’s nothing.”

“Yang…”

“Does it have anything to do with the fact that I bumped into the Ice Queen on my way here?” Yang chuckled when she saw her sister’s cheeks light up bright red at the mention of Weiss. “Thought so.”

“Yang!”

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Ruby.  What’s more interesting, though, is the fact that you’re still trying to go after her even when she’s with Cardin.”

Ruby’s shoulders slumped forward, her eyes falling to the notes she had written just twenty minutes earlier. “Don’t remind me.”

Yang gave her a playful shove before gripping the edge of her seat. “Actually, I was hoping that you’d help me out with something.  That is if your attempt at courting Weiss Schnee isn’t taking up all of your free time.”

Ruby rolled her eyes, a playful smile on her lips. “I don’t know, Yang.  After all the teasing you’ve done, maybe I don’t want to help you.”

“Come on, Rubes.  It’s not like I ask you for too many favors.  This one’s kind of really important to me.”

Ruby raised an eyebrow, turning in her seat to fully face her sister. “And what kind of favor is this?”

* * *

 

She should’ve known what Yang was trying to get help for.  All the signs were there.  Getting the idea hashed out was no problem; getting the people, setting up the stage, and making sure everything lined up in the right spot in the right time was a very different thing.  Ruby had no trouble getting her theater friends involved, though the tackle she received after saying food in front of Nora was something she wished she could have avoided.

Ren was in charge of the sound, having no trouble in setting up the karaoke system in record time.  Nora had volunteered with the lighting, surprising quite a few people as she went about adjusting all of the heavy equipment to get them to her liking.  Jaune, though, was the one who surprised all of them by teaching all of Ruby’s and Yang’s friends a dance routine for the favor.

“Growing up with seven sisters taught me a lot of things, including dancing.  Helps when all of them had a different preference in what they wanted, though past me still shudders at the nightmare of learning routines to rap songs,” he had explained with a carefree smile.

Everything was set.  The only thing left was for Ruby to lead Blake into the theater.  Thankfully, Blake was a creature of habit, and it only took Ruby a few minutes to find the senior hanging by her locker, her nose deep in one of her books.

“Blake!” she shouted at the older girl, hoping that her nervousness was written all over her face.

Blake looked up from her book, a small smile forming at the sight of Ruby. “Hey Ruby.  What’s the rush for?”

Ruby wrapped her hand around Blake’s wrist. “You’ve got to come with me.  I forgot my sketchbook in the theater classroom, and you’re the only one who has a key.  Ms. Goodwich went to a meeting with Ozpin about the upcoming Academy tournament, and class is starting soon!”

Blake sighed, and it was then that Ruby knew she had her.  The two dodged the early morning student traffic, Ruby biting her lip as she tried to contain her excitement.  It was a challenging two weeks to get this setup in time, and they only had one chance to get it right.  The theater was dark as they entered, causing Blake to tug the two of them to a stop.

“Ruby, wait a moment.  All the theater lights are off,” Blake said, looking around the back of the stage. “Something’s wrong here.”

Ruby tugged a little harder on Blake’s wrist. “I’m sure it’s nothing, Blake.  We don’t have a lot of time.”

Blake raised an eyebrow but continued to let Ruby pull her towards the theater room.  As they made their way towards the front of the stage, Ruby stopped pulling Blake and looked towards the back of the theater where she knew Ren was waiting for the signal.

Blake looked around them before turning her attention back to Ruby. “Ruby, what’s going on?”

A snap of fingers, and Blake found her wrist devoid of Ruby’s hand as everything around her went black.  She looked around her, reaching out into the space where Ruby had once been, before a bright spotlight flashed on and shone down on her.  Blake squinted in the light, shielding her eyes from the light as she tried to see who was operating it.  It was then that she began to hear what sounded like a pop song playing softly around her.

_ Clocks strikes upon the hour _

_ And the sun begins to fade _

_ Still enough time to figure out _

_ How to chase my blues away _

_ I’ve done alright up ‘til now _

_ It’s the light of day that shows me how _

_ And when the night falls _

_ Loneliness calls _

Blake would recognize that song anywhere, a laugh escaping her.  Two lights flashed on as Neptune and Sun appeared before her in time with the chorus.

_ Oh!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ I want to feel the heat with somebody _

_ Yeah!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ With somebody who loves _

_ Oh!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ I want to feel the heat with somebody _

_ Yeah!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ With somebody who loves me _

Blake covered her smile with her hands as she watched the two boys dance their routine in front of her.  The lights went out at the end of the chorus, shoving Blake back into the darkness.

_ I’ve been in love and lost my senses _

_ Spinning through the town _

_ Sooner or later the fever ends _

_ And I wind up feeling down _

_ I need a woman who’ll take a chance _

_ On a love that burns hot enough to last _

_ So when the night falls _

_ My lonely heart calls _

Blake only had a moments notice to recognize the change in lyrics before two more lights turned on, this time to reveal Ruby flanked by Jaune on her left and Pyrrha on her right.  They erupted into the same dance routine as Neptune and Sun, smiles wide on their faces.  Blake laughed at the sight, her eyes on the verge of tears.  Once more, she found herself plunged back into darkness, the song filling the theater as she tried to find the origin of the voice singing.

_ Somebody who, somebody who _

_ Somebody who loves me _

_ Somebody who, somebody who _

_ To hold me in her arms _

_ I need a woman who’ll take a chance _

_ On a love that burns hot enough to last _

_ So when the night falls _

_ My lonely heart calls _

The lights flashed on, revealing Yang as the singer with the dancers behind her.  She winked at Blake as the music picked back up.

_ Oh!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ I want to  feel the heat with somebody _

Yang took Blake’s hand in her own, spinning the golden-eyed girl around in a circle as the dancers surrounded them.

_ Yeah!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ With somebody who loves me _

Yang spun Blake out just to pull her back close.  Blake bit her lip at how close she was to Yang, the knot in her chest tightening.

_ Oh!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ I want to feel the heat with somebody _

Neptune and Sun came over to Blake, lifting her by the arms and away from Yang.  Blake was about to protest when they sat her in a seat and she could see Nora and Ren behind Yang.

_ Yeah!  I want to dance with somebody _

_ With somebody who loves me _

Blake watched as Jaune brought a bouquet of flowers out for Yang just as Nora and Ren rolled out the banner behind her.  Blake covered her mouth with her hands, hoping that the gasp that escaped her mouth wasn’t too loud.  Yang dropped down onto her knee, a nervous smile on her lips as she stared up at Blake.

“What do you say, Blake?” she asked, swallowing hard.

Yang could only wait patiently as she watched Blake stare at the banner that read  _ Would you go to homecoming with me?   _ She bit her lip, waiting for Blake’s response with a patient that was ever slowly disappearing.  Her thoughts began to run rampid, her fears beginning to bubble to the surface, when she noticed Blake starting to nod.

“Yes!  Yes, I’ll go to homecoming with you!” Blake cried, surging forward to wrap her arms around Yang’s shoulders.

The theater erupted into cheers as Yang picked Blake up and spun her around.  Ruby smiled at her sister, backing up slowly to take in the moment.  She hadn’t seen Yang this happy in a long time.  Sometimes she’d fake the happiness for their father, but this was a true happiness coming from Yang.  Ruby reached into her pocket to pull out her phone, snapping a quick picture of Yang and Blake smiling at the others.

“So this is what you’ve been up to for the past couple weeks.”

Ruby jumped at the new voice, turning to see Weiss leaning against the doorway. “Weiss! How long-”

Weiss held up her hand. “Long enough to see everything.  You two brushed past me on your way here, so I was a bit curious to see what was going on.” She looked past Ruby towards a laughing Yang. “That was sweet of you.  To help your sister out like this.”

Ruby turned back towards the crowd, smiling at the sight. “It’s what sisters do.  I couldn’t imagine not helping make her smile because I know Yang’s always got my back.” 

She turned back to Weiss, noticing a sad look that was quickly replaced with her usual cold mask. “That’s sweet of you, just don’t let it rub off on me,” Weiss was quick to say, turning to leave. “I’ll see you in class, dolt.”

Ruby watched Weiss walk down the hall, but it didn’t feel like all the times before.  The coldness Weiss had shown her before was gone.  Even as she had tried to make it sound cold, Weiss sounded different.  Ruby wanted to think more about it, to question the changes, but she could hear her sister calling her name, urging her to join them.

Weiss watched from around the corner, watching as Ruby turned to return to the theater.  To join her friends in celebration.  She turned and leaned against the wall behind her, clenching her fist above her chest.  Ruby had everything that Weiss wished for:  friends that cared for her and a family that stood by her.  Hell, if Weiss was being truthful with herself, Ruby even had the one thing that not even she knew about:  Weiss’s heart.  Weiss sighed, pushing off of the wall to begin the trek towards her locker.

It was a secret no one could no about, a secret that she had held back since the first day she met Ruby.  Matters only worsened when she was paired up with Ruby in Chemistry, but she could never admit it.  She could already see the disappointment in her father’s eyes, the threat of disownment hanging over her head just as it had over Winter’s.  She was the heir to the Schnee Company, and the expectations of her didn’t include falling in love, with a woman noless.

All she had to do was get through the school year, then she was in the homestretch.  She’d be able to go to a college far from Vale and far away from Ruby Rose.  The only things that would be left in her wake was her broken heart and the drawing Ruby was helping her create.  The painting that showcased Weiss’s love for the young girl.  Weiss groaned and shook her head, putting on the fake smile as she approached her locker.

Why did love have to be so damn confusing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you wanting an idea as to what kind of dance routine was being done, check out JR Taylor's and Phil Wright's Choreography videos on Youtube. They were great inspirations; it's just hard to put their dancing into words!
> 
> As always, make sure to follow me on tumblr!


	3. Study Night

Ruby swallowed the large lump in her throat as she looked up to the large front door of Weiss’s home.   _ More like mansion, if I’m being honest with myself,  _ she thought as she knocked as loud as she could _.   _ With the next exam in Chemistry just around the corner, Weiss had suggested that they study the night before at her home.  Ruby knew that Weiss’s family held a large importance in the city of Remnant, and the validity of that assumption was backed when Weiss gave her an address situated in the middle of the Atlas district.  Ruby found herself wringing her hands around the strap of her messenger bag, patiently waiting for anyone to answer.

_ Maybe no one’s home.  She probably gave me the wrong address.  I bet Cardin’s around the corner waiting to surprise me, and all of this was recorded.  Why would she even- _

Ruby straightened as the door began to open, a short man with a brown mustache on the other side of the door.  She couldn’t help as her eyes drifted to the bald spot on the top of his head, but she couldn’t help it; there were very few people shorter than her, and it was in her direct line of sight.

“Can I help you?” he asked, a slight irritation in his voice.

Ruby jumped slightly. “Uh, right.  Sorry.  My name’s Ruby Rose, and I’m here to meet Weiss.  She uh...invited me over.”

The man narrowed his eyes at me for a moment before turning towards the inner part of the house. “Ms. Schnee, your guest has arrived.”

He opened the door wider, stepping to the side to allow Ruby to walk inside.  When the door closed behind her, it took everything in Ruby not to jump again.  Everything about this house screamed emptiness.  Ruby looked around her surroundings, not sure as to which direction Weiss would be coming in from.  The man who had answered the door had left already, leaving Ruby alone to wait.  As she continued to look around, she couldn’t help but notice a portrait on the far side of the room.

Walking over to it, she could see that it was a family portrait.  The three Schnee children sat in front of their parents.  Weiss sat on the right; Whitley, her younger brother, sat in the middle; and Winter, her older sister, sat on the left.  Weiss looked no more than seven or eight in the portrait, but what caught Ruby’s attention were the expression her face.  It wasn’t the sense of pride that her parents showed or the innocence that her brother’s face wore.  No, it was the sense of sadness that matched her sister’s expression, and Ruby felt her heart clench at the sight.

Ruby took a few steps forward, her hand over her heart.  She knew the look that rested on Weiss’s face in the portrait; it was one that she had seen on Yang’s countless times when they were younger.  Everyone knew of her mother’s death, but very few knew the truth about Yang’s birth mother.  Losing two mothers before high school had shaken Yang to the core, forcing her to look out for Ruby when their father was away at conferences.  As they grew older, Ruby had taken a more independent role in their lives, but that didn’t deter Yang from looking out for her little sister.  It didn’t stop Ruby from noticing the nights when Yang would cry herself to sleep, or when her anger would flare up around certain days of the year.  It didn’t-

“Ruby?”

Ruby jumped in her spot, spinning around fast to find Weiss standing behind her with a curious look. “Weiss!  Uh, hi!”

Weiss raised an eyebrow at her. “What are you doing?”

“I um...well…” Ruby smiled sheepishly as she looked towards the portrait. “I was just uh...looking at this painting of you and your family.  It just...reminded me of someone.”

Weiss walked over to Ruby’s left, looking up at the portrait. “Who did it remind you of?”

Ruby looked away, her hands fidgeting with each other. “It’s nothing.” She turned her head back towards Weiss. “So uh...about that studying?”

Weiss stared at Ruby for a moment before nodding once. “Let’s go up to my room.”

Ruby nodded, looking to the portrait once more before rushing off to follow Weiss.  Everything in the house scream huge and money.  Ruby had to fight the urge to close in on herself from the intimidation she felt just from the halls themselves.  Weiss opened one of the last doors on their left, welcoming Ruby in with a nod of her head.  Ruby looked around the room with wide eyes.  It was easily twice the size of her room back in Patch, with several bookcases lining the far walls of the room near the window.   _ She even has a fireplace.  How rich do you have to be to have a fireplace in your room?! _

Weiss cleared her throat, and Ruby could feel the heat rush to her cheeks.  She straightened and turned towards the older girl.  Weiss had an eyebrow raised at Ruby, but she also had a knowing smirk.  Ruby felt her throat run dry, the words lost to her.  After a moment’s silence, Weiss rolled her eyes before beckoning Ruby to follow her to her bed.  She followed, taking a seat next to Weiss.  Ignoring Ruby’s stare, Weiss opened her copy of their Chemistry book, jumping straight into the review questions at the end of the latest chapter.  Ruby found herself nodding and answering each question asked, but her mind was far from their studies.  She found herself wondering about Weiss’s smirk; the way it curled at the edge of her lips almost into a smile.  She mentally shook herself, forcing her mind to focus on the questions that Weiss was asking.

They were halfway through the equation problems when there was a hard knock to the bedroom door.  Without waiting for an answer, an older man barged into the room. “Weiss, we have to discuss-” The man paused when he noticed that Weiss was not alone in her room.  The man cleared his throat as he straightened his tie and narrowed his eyes towards Ruby. “And who may you be?”

Ruby looked down slightly, but Weiss was quick to respond. “Father, this is Ruby Rose.  She’s my Chemistry partner, and I asked her over to study for the exam we have tomorrow.” She looked towards Ruby, and Ruby could see a faint but comforting look in Weiss’s eyes. “Ruby, this is my father, Jacques Schnee.”

Ruby swallowed and looked towards Jacques, bowing her head slightly. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

Jacques narrowed his eyes, looking Ruby up and down, before turning his attention back to Weiss. “Very well; I’m assuming she will be joining us for dinner tonight?”

“Of course, Father.”

Ruby prayed that neither of them could sense the fear that rose exponentially in her chest at the mention of dinner.  She slowly coiled her fingers around the comforter next to her knee, trying not to grind her teeth against each other as Jacques nodded his head.

“We will continue our conversation after dinner when Ms. Rose has left then, Weiss.  I will see you at dinner,” he responded, turning and leaving the room as quickly as he had entered.  The door slammed shut behind him, allowing for Ruby to breathe normally once more.

She looked to Weiss, who continue to wear a mask of indifference as she stared at the door. “Are you sure it’s ok for me to stay for dinner?”

Weiss sighed, looking to Ruby. “It’s fine, Ruby.  If anything, it might actually feel like a dinner instead of an interrogation.”

Ruby winced at Weiss’s words, even when she knew that they weren’t directed towards her.  She was used to Weiss opening up towards her, but to hear the disdain in her voice towards her own family was disconcerting.  Maybe it was because any type of arguments in her own home were rare and usually ended with laughs.  They finished up the equation questions soon after, and Weiss led Ruby down to the dining hall.

Joining them at the table was Jacques and Whitley.  There was an air about Whitley that reminded Ruby of Jacques, and it only made Ruby’s stomach twist in disgust.  The food was delicious, and the beginning parts of conversation were comfortable.  Jacques was quick to include Ruby’s opinion to all parts, another way for him to learn more about her she assumed.  It was when Whitley changed the subject of the conversation that Ruby began to lose her appetite.

“Father, you should hear about the most god-awful thing that happened in school today,” he began after wiping his mouth. “I hear two dykes made some sort of big act out of asking each other to homecoming this year.  Surely the administration won’t let them into the dance, will they?”

Ruby felt her shoulders straighten.  She could see Weiss try her hardest not to look afflicted as well.   _ He couldn’t...he’s not talking about Yang and Blake is he?   _ Her hands began to tremble at the thought, her chest only tightening when Jacques leaned forward on his elbows as he looked towards his son.

“Whitley, behave,” he said, and for a moment Ruby felt like she could breathe normally.  It only lasted that short moment. “You know our friends on the school board won’t allow such an atrocity to happen in Beacon Academy.  They wouldn’t risk the reputation that comes with Schnee heirs attending their walls.”

Whitley’s smile looked innocent, but Ruby could sense the cruelty behind it.  Her hands dropped to her lap, her appetite lost for the night.

“Father, must we talk about that right now?  It’s unruly and unbecoming,” Weiss suggested, and Ruby slightly thanked her for the attempt at changing subjects.

It was then that Ruby felt her phone start to ring.  Trying her best to pull it out of her pocket without drawing attention to herself, she looked down at the caller ID to see that it was from Yang.  She stood up, a small smile towards Jacques when he turned towards her. “Excuse me; my sister’s calling.”

She quickly rushed out of the dining room and into the nearby hall that Weiss had brought her from.  Sure that no one would be listening in on their conversation, Ruby pressed the green answer button and placed her phone to her ear.

**_“Ruby?  Hey, I’m on my way to pick you up.”_ **

Ruby looked out the window towards the city of Remnant. “Pick me up?  But I thought I was supposed to call Dad to have him come pick me up?”

**_“Change of plans.  I’ll be there in about five minutes.”_ **

Ruby narrowed her eyes. “Are you driving and talking to me on the phone right now?”

**_“I’m being safe!”_ **

Ruby sighed. “Alright, alright.  Let me go let Weiss know; I was having dinner with her and her family.”

**_“See you soon.”_ **

Ruby let out a deep breath as Yang hung up the phone.  She was grateful for her sister’s sixth sense, but she hated the idea of leaving Weiss to the rest of her dinner.  She turned to walk back into the room, only to come face-to-face with Weiss.  Ruby shrieked, jumping back and landing on her butt.

Weiss placed her hands on her hips, her hip cocked out slightly to the left. “Well, wasn’t that graceful?”

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the other girl. “Well, I wasn’t exactly expecting you to sneak up behind me like that, Weiss.”

Weiss rolled her eyes before holding her hand out to Ruby.  Ruby took it and allowed for Weiss to pull her to her feet.  She was so focused on straightening out her clothes and thinking about gathering her things that she almost missed Weiss’s soft question.

“Are you leaving?”

Ruby looked at her, and for a moment, she could see a scared little girl, the same little girl in the family portrait. “Yeah, but I’ll be at school tomorrow.  We do have that exam after all.”

And the small moment of sadness was quickly replaced with the indifferent mask Ruby had seen so many times before. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Ruby smiled, pulling Weiss into a hug. “Of course!”

They stood in silence, Ruby’s arms around wrapped around Weiss’s waist, before Ruby realized what she was actually doing.  She quickly jumped back, an apologetic smile on and her hands up in surrender. “Sorry!  I didn’t uh...I’m sorry!”

She wasn’t expecting the hint of a smile on Weiss’s lips before it was quickly hidden once more.  Weiss led Ruby back to her room before to gather her things.  Ruby could feel Weiss’s eyes on her as she gathered her things into her messenger bag, but it felt comforting rather than intimidating.  They made their way towards the front door in silence, and Ruby could hear the familiar sounds of Yang’s motorcycle sounding from outside.

Ruby stopped just shy of the door, turning towards Weiss. “Hey Weiss?”

Weiss tilted her head to the side slightly. “Yes?”

Ruby stared at Weiss for a moment, loss for words, before a smile came over her. “I’ll see you in the morning with that project finished.”

Weiss blinked, but she returned Ruby’s smile with one of her own. “Thank you, Ruby.”

Ruby nodded before rushing out to Yang, a renewed hope in her chest.  She knew it was a long shot, but if she could grant Weiss some happiness with this art project, then maybe she would find comfort in the fact that she made Weiss happy.  That’s all she could do, and she would give it her best.  That was a promise.

* * *

 

Ruby couldn’t help but smile.  Sure, she was running only on a couple hours of sleep, but it was finished!  She hugged the painting close to her chest as she ran down the hall towards Weiss’s locker.  She slowed to a stop in front of the locker, scanning the hall around her for any sign of Weiss.  Weiss was a stickler for being five minutes early everywhere she went, so when the warning bell sounded ten minutes later, Ruby started to worry.

As she thought about going to her first class, Ruby caught Velvet and Coco walking down the hall and quickly flagged them towards her. “What’s up, Ruby?” Velvet asked with a smile as they moved across the hall.

Ruby kept the painting close to her chest. “Have you guys seen Weiss?  She’s like never late, and I haven’t seen her yet.”

Coco wrapped her arm around Velvet’s shoulders. “She texted us saying that she was actually going to be late for once.  She must’ve slept past her alarm or something.” A buzz sounded from her pocket, signalling a text.  Coco pulled her phone out and smiled at Ruby. “Speak of the devil.  She’s out in the parking lot right now.”

Ruby perked up, rushing past the two girls with a quick thanks.  If she hurried, she could get the painting to Weiss and still make it back in time for class.  Ruby was trying her best to hold in the laughter that was bubbling in her chest.   _ No need to anger Weiss, but I do hope she likes it.   _ Pushing past the doors that led out to parking lot, Ruby’s eyes scanned the cars that were parked for any sign of the white-haired girl.  What she wasn’t ready for was to see Cardin off to the side of the parking lot.  Ruby quickly hid behind a pillar, swallowing hard and praying that he hadn’t seen her.  She took a deep breath and poked her head out to the left of the pillar.

It was definitely Cardin, but it looked like he was with someone else.  Ruby narrowed her eyes, and that was indeed the truth.  He was with someone; more specifically, he was making out with someone who wasn’t Weiss!  Ruby quickly covered her mouth to silence herself at the realization.  She couldn’t tell who Cardin was with, but she knew that Weiss was not a brunette.  Ruby bit her lip, and it was only after a moment of staring that she realized she was shaking.   _ This couldn’t be happening.  He’s cheating on Weiss.   _ Ruby’s eyes widened at the thought, her eyes frantically searching the parking lot once more.   _ He’s cheating on Weiss! _

It was too late.  Ruby found Weiss standing near the front door, her own eyes staring off in the direction of Cardin.  The pain matched the sadness that Ruby had see in the family portrait, and it only hurt worse.  She quickly stood up and ran to Weiss, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the school.  She pulled her friend to the bathroom, tossing the painting she had spent the entire night on into the trash.  There was no need for it anymore.

Ruby turned to Weiss, taking her face in her hands and forcing Weiss to look at her. “Weiss.  Weiss, look at me.” The girl was slow to process Ruby’s words, but soon she did as she was told. “Hey.  Everything’s going to be ok.  You don’t need him, alright?  You’re so much better than whoever that was.  You just need to get through today, ok?”

Weiss had a blank stare on her face as she looked Ruby in her eyes before nodding once. “Ok.”

Ruby smiled a little before looking at the time on her phone. “Look, come sit with me and Yang today at lunch ok?  Everything’s going to be ok.”

Except everything wasn’t ok.  Weiss went through the day as though on autopilot.  Everyone noticed, but thankfully, Cardin stayed away from Weiss.  Yang made sure of it once Ruby had informed her of the boy’s actions.  They kept a careful eye on Weiss, but Ruby couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to do something more.  That she could do more for Weiss.

“You doing ok, Ruby?”

Ruby jumped at the sudden voice, turning to see Coco and Velvet standing behind her. “Oh, hey guys.  Yeah, I’m fine.  What’s up?”

Coco slid into the seat next to Ruby. “We could ask you the same thing, girl.  You’ve been on this sad mood all day, just like Weiss.”

Ruby sighed, turning her head towards Weiss’s direction.  She was at cheerleading practice, putting on a brave face for the rest of her squad.  Just seeing the attempt made Ruby’s chest ache. “I just...feel like I should be doing something more for her.”

“Why not throw her a birthday party then?”

Ruby turned back towards Coco and Velvet. “A birthday party?”

Velvet nodded. “Yeah.  Her birthday is next week, and she’s never had a real party with actual friends.  Always something stuck up that her father puts together.  I’m sure she’d enjoy the gesture.”

Ruby turned back towards Weiss’s direction, seeing the hint of sadness in her eyes once more.  She huffed in determination, standing up with a sense of renewed determination. “You know what?  I think I will!  I’m going to throw her the best birthday party she’s ever had.  Maybe that’ll make her forget all this,” she said as she turned towards Coco and Velvet with a smile.

_ Just maybe I can actually be useful to her. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for those of you showing so much interest in the story. Make sure you follow me on Tumblr for any updates!


	4. Birthdays

She didn’t know how, but Ruby found herself leading a blindfolded Weiss towards the back of her home.  It was a once in a lifetime thing, and Ruby was determined to make sure that Weiss remembered today.  She looked over Weiss’s shoulder, smiling when she saw all of their friends gathered around the large cake in the middle of the backyard.  Some were looking excitedly at the two girls as they approached, and others were trying their hardest to remain quiet.

“Are we almost there, Ruby?” Weiss asked, a slightly-annoyed tone in her voice.

Ruby squeezed Weiss’s shoulders. “Almost.  Just a couple more feet, I promise.”

Ruby looked back up to the group to see her father, Taiyang, standing in front of the table.  He reached out, covering Ruby’s hands with his own to help position Weiss in front of the table.  Their friends surrounded the table, ready for Ruby’s signalled.  Once she was sure her father was out of harm’s way, Ruby pulled the blindfold away from Weiss’s eyes.

“Surprise!”

Weiss jumped at the sudden outburst, eyes widening at the sight of all of her and Ruby’s friends smiling at her with a large, three-tier cake standing tall before her.  She turned to her right, finding Ruby smiling wide at her.  A loss for words, Weiss could only stand by and listen as their friends began to sing the stupid happy birthday song to her.

Once everyone had received a slice of the cake and began mingling around in the backyard, Weiss grabbed Ruby’s hand and dragged her away.  She looked around the corner to make sure no one had followed them before turning her attention back to the brunette. “Did you do all of this?  For me?”

Ruby swallowed, looking down towards her feet. “After everything that had happened in the past couple weeks, I thought it was a good idea.  Coco and Velvet had said something about your birthday, so I figured why not turn your birthday into something extra special?” She slowly turned her eyes upwards until they met Weiss’s. “You’re not mad, are you?”

Weiss wanted to be mad.  She wanted to scream at Ruby about how not ok this was.  She wanted to yell at Ruby for putting her on the spot in front of so many people.  But she couldn’t.  The words died in her throat as she stared down at this small girl who had gone out of her way to make Weiss’s birthday a special one.  It was more than she could have asked for from her family.

Maybe that’s why a small smile slowly curled onto her lips. “No, Ruby.  I’m not mad.  Thank you.”

Ruby had begun to look away but snapped up when she heard Weiss’s thank you. “Oh uh...y-you’re welcome.”

Weiss rolled her eyes at Ruby’s stammering, noting the slight blush to the girl’s cheeks, before grabbing her hand and pulling her back to the party.  There was so much to do:  games to play, presents to open, cake to eat.  Ruby had spent a lot to throw together this party for Weiss, and a swell of pride sat in her chest as she watched the birthday girl enjoy the party.

At one point, Ruby found herself sitting on the back porch, watching as the others dance to the music that was currently playing.  She had never been one to dance; she felt uncoordinated with her feet, and it was best not to embarrass yourself in front of the girl you had a huge crush on.  Ruby frowned as she watched the others dance with Weiss, particularly when Neptune began to give Weiss slightly more attention.

_ There’s no need to be jealous,  _ she told herself.   _ Why would Weiss ever date someone like me?  She’s got someone like Neptune to give her enough attention.  As long as she’s happy and he’s not an asshole like Cardin, then I should be happy.  She’s my friend.  Why wouldn’t I want her happy?  She’s happy… _

“Something on your mind, kiddo?”

Ruby jumped in her spot, looking up to see her father come over and sit beside her. “Oh, hi Dad.  No, nothing’s wrong.”

Tai smiled at his youngest, leaning back against his seat. “Your frown says otherwise.”

Ruby looked back out towards the dancing, frowning when she saw Weiss laugh at something that Neptune said. “Dad, how did you know you were in love with Mom?”

Tai shifted slightly, wrapping his arm around his daughter’s shoulders and pulling her close. “Well, I didn’t know at first.”

Ruby looked up at him. “Really?”

Tai nodded once. “I wasn’t...the best person when I was younger.  Played a lot of pranks, especially on your Uncle Qrow, and I ended up in Ozpin’s office more than once during my time at Beacon.  I didn’t know it then, but your mother had feelings for me as early as then.  I just...never thought I was the one for her.”

“Why’s that?”

“She was popular among everyone.  She could have had anyone she wanted.  For a long time, I thought she’d end up with your uncle or even ol’ Jimmy Ironwood.  Maybe that’s why I fell in love with Yang’s mom first because I didn’t think I was worthy of your mother’s.  It took a while after Raven left for me to get out of my funk, but your mother was there for me through it all.  It was only then that I realized how much I was in love with your mother.”

Ruby looked up at Tai. “Do you regret it?...”

Tai raised an eyebrow at Ruby. “Regret what?”

“Falling in love with Raven first instead of Mom.”

Tai smiled, hugging Ruby close. “No, I don’t.  I regret a lot of things I did when I was younger, but falling in love with Raven and having Yang is not something I regret.  Neither is falling in love with your mother and having you, Ruby.  You two are my precious little girls, and I love you both so much.”

Ruby returned the hug before turning her attention back out to the others. “You should go tell her, Rubes,” she heard her father say softly beside her.

Ruby whipped her head back towards her father, her cheeks bright red at his words. “W-what are y-you talking about?!!”

Tai chuckled. “Ruby, you’ve been staring at her since the party started.  You smile when she smiles and frown when someone flirts with her.  It’s not that hard to see.”

Ruby’s hands clenched the front of her shirt as she stared up at her father. “Is...is it that obvious?”

Tai shrugged. “Well to me it is, Ruby.” He looked back out at the crowd. “Maybe it is to her but she’s just waiting on you to say something.”

Ruby stared at her father for a moment longer before turning her eyes back out to the crowd, back out to Weiss.  She was standing with Blake and Yang, talking about something, before turning her head towards Ruby.  When she caught Ruby staring at her, a smile slowly appeared on her lips.  It was something so simple, yet it held so much happiness.

Ruby stood up and walked towards Weiss without another word to her father.  She didn’t know if she was going to interrupt a conversation that Weiss was having with someone else, but she didn’t care either.  Instead, she took the white-haired girl’s hand and pulled her away from the crown, a reassuring smile to those who looked their way as Ruby continued to pull Weiss away from the crowd.

“Ruby, hey, what’s going on?  What are you doing?” Weiss asked, trying to keep up with the shorter girl as they rounded a corner to the side of Ruby’s house.

Ruby swallowed, clenching her hands into fists as she turned to Weiss.   _ You’ve got this.  Just tell her how you feel.  You’ve got this.   _ Just when Ruby thought she had the strength to tell Weiss everything, her confidence began to crack underneath her at the worry etched on Weiss’s face.  The words caught in her throat, and her hands began to shake.   _ I can’t do this...I can’t...I- _

Weiss took Ruby’s hands in her own, a gentle smile on her face as she looked Ruby in her eyes. “Hey, what’s going on?”

Weiss never smiled.  She never smiled at Ruby.  Suddenly, the world came rushing back as fast as the words were. “I think I’m in love with you, Weiss,” she said softly.  It took her a minute to process what she had just said, a squeak coming out of her as she covered her mouth and back away. “I’m sorry!  I didn’t mean...I mean I…”

Then her words were gone.  Weiss stared at her with wide eyes, leaving Ruby to pray for her to say something.  Anything at all.  Nothing was worse than this standstill they found themselves in.  Nothing.  Yet, Ruby couldn’t figure out what to do next.  She needed to hear something from Weiss.

Weiss took a step forward, and so did Ruby’s heart. “Ruby, I-”

“YO ICE QUEEN!”

_ No, no, no, no!   _ Sun rounded the corner, wrapping his arm around Weiss’s shoulders. “Yo, everyone is demanding that the birthday girl return the dance floor again.  Come on!  Neptune even saved a dance for you,” he said with a bright smile.  When he caught Weiss’s glare, he looked between her and Ruby. “What?  Did I interrupt something?”

“As a matter of fact-”

Ruby interrupted her with a smile. “It’s nothing, Sun.  You didn’t interrupt anything.”  She looked at Weiss with the same smile, but it didn’t hold the same warmth that a smile from Ruby usually did. “Go on, Weiss.  Everyone’s waiting for you.”

Weiss looked at the young girl, her mouth opening to question Ruby’s change in behavior, when Sun tugged her harder away.  Weiss forced a smile on her face as she returned to her friends.  Even Neptune was being a lot nicer to her as the music continued to blare in her ears.  Yet she couldn’t help but look towards where Ruby was standing, a sadness in her eyes that made Weiss’s heart clench.  Weiss tried to project a smile out to her, but Ruby looked to be in her own world, eventually making her way back into the house.

Ruby was there when everyone began to leave, smiling as she saw her friends off.  She rarely spoke, and it only worried Weiss more.  Ruby was doing her best to keep herself away from Weiss, but Weiss didn’t miss the sadness that was in Ruby’s eyes when it was time for Weiss to leave.  She slowly climbed into her father’s car, looking back towards Ruby as she closed the door.  Weiss could see Yang and their father talking with Ruby, but the girl continued to look at the car, at Weiss.

Weiss sighed as the car began to pull away.  How was she going to tell Ruby?  How was she going to tell her she loved her?

* * *

 

It had been a week since Ruby’s declaration to Weiss.  Nothing had been said between the two, and it was killing Ruby.  She avoided Weiss as much as she could as a result, her heart only handling enough heartbreak for Chemistry.  Even in the class they were partners, Ruby couldn’t look Weiss in the eye for fear of reprisal for her declaration.  As soon as the bell would ring for the end of class, Ruby was like a blink out the door.

Yang tried talking to her about her sudden shift in behavior.  Tai tried to cheer her up with his cooking, though it was more burnt meals than cheerful meals.  Blake had been able to get her a distraction in letting Ruby help with prop and background design for the upcoming school play, but that was about as much interaction Ruby did with anyone.  It was in the theater that he found Ruby, silently painting one of the backdrops with music playing to her right.

“You’re not as quiet as you think,” Ruby said softly, her focus still on her painting.

“And your style is still beautiful as ever, kiddo.”

Ruby couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped, turning to face her uncle. “What’s up?”

Qrow looked around to make sure no one was around before pulling out the flask that he kept hidden in his breast-pocket, taking a quick swig of it before walking towards Ruby. “I heard from a reliable source that you haven’t been yourself lately.  You want to talk about what’s going on?”

Ruby frowned, turning back to her painting. “It’s nothing.”

“Sure doesn’t sound like anything, kiddo.  Sounds a whole lot like something.”

Ruby sighed. “Just...a personal issue.”

She could almost picture the smirk on his face as he spoke again. “Does it involve that Schnee girl?”

Ruby’s back straightened.  She slowly turned her head towards her uncle, eyes wide. “Who told you-”

Qrow smiled down at his niece, rubbing the top of her head. “Kiddo, I’m a teacher and your uncle.  Most importantly, I know love when I see it.” He bent at the waist so that he was eye-level with Ruby. “Besides, you have those lovey dovey eyes that your mother used to have whenever she looked at Tai.”

Ruby wished she could hide the blush that rose to her cheeks, but all she could do was lower her head to avoid her uncle’s gaze. “No I don’t…”

Qrow chuckled, pulling Ruby into a tight hug.  It only took a moment, but Ruby wrapped her arms just as tightly around him.  Maybe it was the reason why she looked up to him so much; he always knew how to get through to her, just like her mother had.  Qrow left Ruby to finish her painting, but it also left her to her own thoughts as she worked harder to finish the backdrop.

The time to herself let her think about how stupid she had been acting, especially towards Weiss, in the past week.  She had never gotten an actual answer, but maybe Weiss couldn’t find her in time after Sun’s interruption to actually give her a proper answer.  Ruby had to do something to show Weiss how sorry she was for her actions, and what better than to create a better painting than the one she had thrown away.  Something to show Weiss how much Ruby cared, how much Ruby loved her.

If Tai heard his daughter up late during the night, he never said anything.  Ruby was sure he was just happy she was out of the depressive funk she had been.  It took most of the night, and she had only gotten maybe an hour’s worth of sleep, but it was done.  Ruby was all sorts of giddy as she walked into Beacon the next morning, holding the painting close to her chest.

Yang raised an eyebrow at her sister’s excitement. “Well, look at you.  Haven’t seen you this giggly in a long time.  This because of tonight?”

Ruby stopped in her tracks, looking at her sister in confusion. “Tonight?  What’s going on tonight?”

Yang stopped off to the side of the hallway. “Rubes, the play is tonight, remember?  It’s why Blake asked you to paint those backdrops like super quick.”

_ Oh no!   _ Ruby had forgotten all about the play, and she still had one to finish.  Knowing that she could skip her first two classes without severe punishment, Ruby quickly put the painting inside her locker and rushed to the theater department.  The backdrop in question was hanging in the back of the theater, all of her paint supplies still nearby.   _ If I finish it before lunch, it’ll have enough time to dry before tonight.   _ Ruby made a mental note to tell Blake not to use it during their run-throughs later that night and set about painting the backdrop as fast and neat as she could.

Two hours later, Ruby had a finished backdrop.  It wasn’t as detailed as others were, but from Ruby’s understanding, it didn’t have as many appearances as the others did.  She set about cleaning up her area when she heard a collective gasp come from the classroom.  Biting her lip, Ruby made her way over to see most of her theater friends gathered with dark expressions on.

“What’s going on?” Ruby asked as she stepped inside the room.

Blake looked up from her spot at the front of the room.  To her left was an orange-haired girl, cheeks streaked with tears.  If Ruby was correct, that was Penny, the lead actress for the play tonight.  Ruby was starting to put two-and-two together when Blake’s voice answered her question.

“Penny lost her voice.  We don’t have anyone to be her understudy tonight.”

_ No.   _ Ruby looked around the room, seeing the others just as upset.  All of their hard work, and the play wasn’t going to actually happen.  Ruby looked back to Blake. “What happened to her actually understudy?  Wasn’t it supposed to be Emerald?”

Blake scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest. “She was dropped when she refused to come to rehearsals.  We never had a chance to actually recast the understudy part, and there’s no one who knows the part as well.”

“I can do it.”

Ruby’s back straightened on instinct, and she turned to see Weiss standing behind her, a small smile on her face as she looked to Ruby.  She turned her attention back to Blake, who was looking at her just as surprised. “I’ve got a photographic memory.  Let me see the script, and I can have all of the lines down for a runthrough tonight.”

Blake pushed off of the desk. “Are you sure?  It’s the lead.”

Weiss chuckled. “My father has put me on stage to sing more times than you’ve been in a play, Blake.  Just let me see the script, and make sure everyone’s ready to go tonight.”

Blake nodded, quickly pulling out an extra script and bringing it to Weiss.  Ruby could hear the soft conversations in the back of the class as Weiss and Blake talked over details of the script.

“Is that the Ice Queen?”

“Who cares?  We get to do the play tonight!”

“Talk about a miracle.”

That she was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this! Are you ready for the ending?


	5. Wish Come True

Things were slowly starting to get back to normal.  Ruby’s smile became warm again, she was talking to her friends, and she wasn’t wanting to dash out of Chemistry class almost immediately after the bell rang.  It meant she was able to hold a conversation with Weiss once more, and that warmed her heart.  Ruby hadn’t fully realized how much just talking to Weiss made her day until they spent most of one of their classes catching up with each other.  Everything was going back to normal.

Until it wasn’t.

Ruby felt like today had something weird about it, but she couldn’t place her finger on it.  Maybe part of it was the fact that all her friends were sitting at the same table today for lunch.  Blake was sitting beside Yang with Yang’s around around her shoulders.  Pyrrha sat next to Jaune with a smile on her face; everyone teased them about it, but they remained adamant that they were taking things slow first.  Ren and Nora were down at the end, content to watch the conversation as they held hands underneath the table, while Sun and Neptune were busy in a food-eating challenge.

Ruby didn’t know why, but a sudden urge to search the cafeteria came over her.  She looked towards the other side of the room to see Coco and Velvet laughing with their friends, but there was no sign of Weiss around.  Ruby knew that she had a major project coming up, and it accounted for a majority of her grade.  With her dad being such a stickler for grades, it didn’t surprise Ruby that Weiss had chosen to skip lunch to continue working on it.

What did surprise her, though, was the approaching Cardin, his face red with anger.  He pushed other students out of his path as he continued to move towards Ruby’s table, his friends close behind him.  Pyrrha and Yang were the first to notice his approach, quickly jumping to their feet and moving in front of Ruby.  A mixture of comfort and fear coursed through Ruby’s veins as she looked up at her sister and friend, but it was Cardin’s voice that grabbed everyone’s attention.

“You really think you’re that smart, Pipsqueak?  First you manage to get into Beacon, and now you think you can get what you want with some sneaky little ploys?”  Cardin didn’t care if Yang and Pyrrha were in his way.  His focus was solely on Ruby.

Ruby swallowed hard and tried to make herself as small as possible. “Um...I...I don’t…”

Cardin narrowed his eyes, pushing Yang and Pyrrha away and grabbing Ruby by the front of her shirt.  Ruby held her hands up towards her friends, not wanting them to do anything rash.  She could see Yang’s hands shaking in her peripherals, but Ruby knew how much being on the soccer team meant to her.

Ruby slowly looked up to Cardin, meeting anger with calm. “I don’t...I don’t know what you’re talking about, Cardin.”

“Bullshit!” Cardin snapped, the grip on her shirt tightening. “You know exactly what I’m talking-”

“CARDIN!”

Whatever anger Cardin had washed away at Weiss’s shout.  He dropped Ruby, let her land on her butt.  Ruby looked up at Cardin as he turned towards Weiss, so she leaned to her right and looked towards the direction he had turned to.  Sure enough, there was Weiss at the other end of the cafeteria, Velvet and Coco flanking either side of her with matching pissed-off expressions.  Neither looked as angry as Weiss, however; Ruby could practically feel the anger radiating off of her.

“Just WHAT do you think you’re doing?” Weiss asked as she stalked towards Cardin.

Cardin held up his hands in surrender, a smile on his face. “Babe, I was just-”

“Just WHAT, Cardin?  Ruby’s done NOTHING to you.”

Cardin narrowed his eyes at Weiss. “Yes she has.  She’s the reason-”

“Reason for what?  Me breaking up with you?”

A hush fell across the cafeteria as Yang helped Ruby to her feet, their eyes glued on Weiss.

Cardin looked around, his friends backing away from him. “Well, uh…”

Weiss placed her hands on her hips as she continued to hold her glare at him. “Please, Cardin, would you care to inform everyone of WHY I chose to break up with you?”

“Well, she-”

“She didn’t tell you to cheat on me, Cardin.  That’s something that YOU did all on your own.” A collective gasp, and Cardin was left turning red.  Weiss narrowed her eyes as she started to pace in front of him. “And not the first time if the amount of girls currently leaving the room have anything to say about it.”

Ruby turned her head and caught three girls standing near the entrances to the cafeteria, all of them wearing the same surprised expressions.  She turned to look back at Weiss, oddly proud of Weiss’s strength to stand up to Cardin.

Cardin took a step back from Weiss. “Babe, I-”

Weiss pointed a finger at Cardin’s chest. “I am NOT your babe.  Never again.  For once, I found someone who appreciates me for me and not some decoration because of my name.”

Weiss pushed past, walking over to Ruby.  That’s when Ruby saw it, an adoration that seemed to glow around Weiss.  She registered Weiss’s hands on her cheeks, gently tilting her face up so that she was looking Weiss in the eyes.

“I’m just sorry it took me so long to realize it,” Weiss whispered to Ruby.

Ruby had a split second to question what was happening before Weiss’s lips locked with her own.  Her world around her seemed to stop.  Weiss, of all people, was kissing her!   _ This has to be a dream.  It must be a dream.  But it’s not a dream.  It’s NOT A DREAM!   _ When Ruby felt Weiss’s hands start to move away, the hint of hesitation bright in her eyes, Ruby’s arms wrapped around Weiss’s waist and pulled her closer.  Ruby vaguely registered the cheering in the background as she rested her forehead against Weiss’s, her heart full of happiness.

“Are...you...SERIOUS?  HER?” Ruby heard Cardin shout, and suddenly she was thrown back into reality.

Weiss turned towards the boy, taking Ruby’s hands in her own. “Do you have a problem with it, Cardin?  Because last I checked, I was single, and I’m pretty sure I have a right to see whoever I choose.”

Cardin stared angrily at Ruby and Weiss, but in that short moment, all of Ruby’s friends who had been watching moved in between them with Yang in the middle.  Cardin took a step back at the wall of people, his teeth grinding against each other.

Yang punched her right hand into her left palm, the sounds of her knuckles echoing throughout the cafeteria. “Try it, Cardin.  Give me a reason to beat you into a bloody pulp.”

Cardin looked at the line of Ruby’s friends, huffed angrily before turning to march out of the cafeteria.  His friends slowly followed him out, a mixture of fear and anger on their own faces.  Ruby smiled as her friends turned towards her, congratulating her and Weiss on standing up to Cardin and the start of their new relationship.  Weiss was quick to answer their questions, leaving Ruby to answer every once in a while.  She was more focused on the fact that she was in fact standing next to Weiss, fingers intertwined with each other and all doubt about where she stood in Weiss’s life washed out of her mind.  She couldn’t believe how lucky she was.

* * *

 

**_Several year later_ **

Weiss sighed, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen. “Seriously, Ruby, we have to get going.  If we don’t leave now, you know Yang will have your head.”

She watched as Ruby walked slowly out of the bedroom in a form-fitting deep red dress, clearly struggling with the heels she had on.  Even years later, it was clear that Ruby would never master the art of walking in heels.  Weiss chuckled, smoothing down the sides of her sparkling white dress before walking over to her girlfriend to kiss her cheek as she clasped a necklace around Ruby’s neck.

“I hate heels so much.  Why can’t I just wear my boots?” Ruby whined, looking up at Weiss as she stepped back.

“Because this is the opening night of Blake’s play, Ruby.  That means a formal dress code, which translates to no boots.”

Ruby huffed. “Fine.”

Weiss smiled.  Even as an adult, Ruby still reminded her of the dorky girl who had made her way into Beacon Academy at the young age of thirteen.  The same girl who had managed to break down Weiss’s walls to her heart and show her what true love was.  She was the rock for Weiss when her father cut her off from her family’s fortune; she was the loudest supporter when Weiss decided to move towards her singing career.  Without Ruby Rose, Weiss was sure that her life would have been much different than what it currently was.

A limo was waiting for them outside of their hotel, courtesy of Blake.  Following high school, Blake was able to get one of the best theatre programs in the country.  Yang followed Blake, taking odd jobs to make ends meet and allow Blake to focus on her studies.  It paid off as Blake finished at the top of her class with several offers already presented to her.

Tonight, however, was her directorial debut of a Broadway play, and Blake was sparing no expense to make sure those who had stood by her were properly thanked.  As the limo pulled up to the front of the theater, Ruby and Weiss looked out the window to see a crowd of people, mostly photographers, waiting for them.  The door opened, and Weiss was the first to step out, holding her hand out for Ruby.  She knew how nervous Ruby was to be in front of so many people in, so she tried to make it as comfortable as she could for her girlfriend.

“Just smile and keep holding onto my hand.  I promise I’ll go slow, ok?” Weiss whispered to Ruby, who could only manage a nod in response.

Further down the carpet was Blake and Yang.  There were few chances of seeing Yang in a dress, but Weiss was happy to see her in one.  Blake wore a fitted tuxedo, and Yang played the part of arm candy to the best of her ability, a gorgeous yellow and orange dress highlighting her curves.  Yang looked towards the two of them as they made their way down the carpet, waving as she gently tugged on Blake’s arm for her attention.  Blake turned at the tug, smiling when she saw her two friends.

“Glad you guys were able to make it,” she said as they met Ruby and Weiss halfway.

Ruby beamed at Blake, her smile infectious. “Of course we would!”

Weiss rolled her eyes and smiled at Blake. “Not everyday we get to see one of our best friends make their directorial debut on Broadway.”

A few photos later, the four of them made their way into the theater.  Weiss could see the nervousness that was playing through Blake, though Yang tried to calm her nerves with soft words of encouragement.  It made Weiss smile as she knew what was truly eating away at Blake.  Hidden in one of the inside pockets of Blake’s tuxedo jacket was a small box with a diamond ring.  The diamond itself was shaped into a small heart, considered simple in the eyes of the jeweler that Weiss had bought it from.  It was the least she could do after Blake’s family had taken her in after his disownment right before college.

Blake had spoken to Tai earlier in the week about the proposal, and the others who knew were sworn to secrecy.  Naturally, that left Ruby out as she was bound to shout the surprise to the stars before Blake had a chance to propose.  It was with all the secrecy and the nervous excitement that bubbled in Blake that Weiss found herself thinking about her future with Ruby.  She had thoughts about marriage, but it left her wondering when the right time would be.  With her singing career starting to take off and Ruby’s job as a graphic designer creating additional income, they were just as financially stable as Blake and Yang were if not better.  Weiss knew she shouldn’t ask for Ruby’s hand just so soon after Blake’s proposal, but she could feel the decision on the horizon.

The play was a hit with the crowd.  A modern take on a classic with original twists and turns, Weiss could hear the crowd’s whispers of praise.  Personally, Weiss found herself extremely proud of the actors with their performances; the private rehearsals she had set up for them proved to be worth the extra push.  She clapped along with the crowd as the cast took their bows with Blake in the center of them.  Weiss bit her lower lip as one of the stage members brought a microphone out to Blake, the once nervous expression now replaced with a confident one.

“Thank you everyone for coming out and supporting these amazing performers.  We had many hands in putting together this play, both on stage and off of it.  I would personally like to thank all of you who helped to put this play on tonight, both here at the theater and at home.” Blake’s eyes seemed to scan the room, her smile growing when her eyes landed on the three of them. “Right now, I would actually like to ask my personal hero, Yang Xiao Long, to come to the stage.”

Yang looked to her sister and Weiss; Weiss gave her a nonchalant shrug, while Ruby could only smile nervously and motion for Yang to join Blake on stage.  Yang nodded, getting up and quickly making her way towards the stairs left of the stage.  She waved awkwardly to the crowd, missing the moment that Blake chose to pull the small box out of her pocket and take a knee in front of Yang.  Yang heard the collective gasp from the crowd, stopping in place as she saw Blake take a knee in her peripheral.  She covered her mouth as Blake smiled up at her, opening the lid of the box to show her the diamond ring.

“Never have I meant someone who has brought so much joy into my life while giving everything she has to make sure my dreams came true.  Well, tonight I want to make your dream come true.  Yang Xiao Long, will you marry me?”

The theater, once brimming with conversation, was silent as they awaited Yang’s answer.  Weiss had only seen Yang speechless one other time in her life, and that was when she had been named National Player of the Year their senior year of high school.  Tears opening flowed down Yang’s cheeks as she could only nod her answer, extending her hand out to Blake.  Matching tears began to fall down Blake’s cheeks as she slid the ring onto Yang’s finger, causing the theater to erupt in applause.

Weiss smiled, rising to her feet as she joined the crowd in cheering for the newly-engaged couple.  Numerous sounds of cameras went off as they tried to capture the moment, reminding Weiss of her concerts.  It was then that she felt Ruby hook her left arm around Weiss’s right.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

Weiss almost couldn’t hear the question, but she smiled regardless. “And if I did?”

“Did she at least get my dad’s approval?”

“Give her some credit, Ruby.”

Ruby chuckled, leaning her head against Weiss’s shoulder as she stared happily at her sister and soon-to-be sister-in-law. “It’s about time, that’s for sure.”

Weiss rested her her gently on Ruby’s. “That it is.”

“Makes me wonder when you’re going to propose to me.”

Weiss looked down at her girlfriend, an eyebrow raised at Ruby. “You don’t think one wedding is enough for you dad right now?”

Ruby chuckled. “So you are planning on proposing huh?”

Weiss could feel her cheeks start to heat up. “I never said-”

“Didn’t have to.  Your surprise and sudden blush right after is enough to see.”

Weiss rolled her eyes, poking Ruby in the side. “Maybe sometime in the future.”

“Well, don’t wait too long.  I may just get old and die before you do.”

The smack that Weiss gave Ruby was quiet among the conversation that filled the theater.  The two would go on to meet Blake and Yang in the back of the theater, wedding preparations already underway.  Weiss smiled as Ruby gushed over the ring, thinking back to the small box that was hidden away back at their home.

It was hidden away in a spot that the two would pass every day, a painting that saw them leave and welcomed them home.  Ruby hadn’t questioned the slight movement of the painting, but Weiss was sure that she didn’t notice the difference in placement.  All that mattered was that the painting was there, a white rose surrounded by red petals.  It was a reminder of a love that never dwindled.  A promise fulfilled; a hidden wish granted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your support of A Hidden Wish! Make sure to follow me on Tumblr @libs1317/hit the subscribe button on my profile for future works.


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